Man killed during home break-in

MCKEANSBURG - An East Brunswick Township man who broke into a house in the township late Saturday afternoon was shot to death by the homeowner, state police at Frackville said Sunday in identifying the victim and alleged shooter.

Zachary Foster, 18, of 150 N. Market St., died after breaking into 57 Steep Mountain Road. The shooter was the home's owner, Curt Stein, 49, police said in a public information release Sunday morning.

Investigators are working to determine if Stein's actions were justified.

The investigation is continuing and no charges were filed Sunday, according to state police criminal investigator Trooper John D. Powis of the Frackville station.

The Pennsylvania State Police Major Case Team, Schuylkill County detectives, the office of Schuylkill County District Attorney Karen Byrnes-Noon and the office of Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David J. Moylan are assisting with the case, police said.

The Foster and Stein families knew one another, Moylan said Sunday.

The incident occurred at 5:29 p.m. Saturday, according to police.

Moylan and Schuylkill County Deputy Coroner Scott Clews pronounced Foster dead at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, said Moylan, who arrived at the scene at 6:50 p.m. Saturday.

On Sunday morning, Moylan conducted a virtual autopsy on Foster at his office at Simon Kramer Institute, New Philadelphia.

"I don't know the exact caliber of the handgun. I can't determine that from the machine. But it was a handgun," Moylan said.

"The cause of death needs to be forensically verified and we're going to have our forensic consultants do a formal autopsy," Moylan said.

Moylan did not know which pathologist would be doing the study. "There are five staffers there. They're all excellent. They will assign it the day of," Moylan said.

spytak@republicanherald.com

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